Since the advent of computer monitors being used on most desks, it has become increasingly popular for the computer user to attach reminder notes, information and other items on the computer monitor. In addition, users also prefer to personalize their areas with pictures, photographs and other personal items. Many users attach items around their monitor""s bezels, but due to limited space, these items do not fit and usually extend into the viewable portion of the monitor screen or protrude into the air space around the monitor.
With the increased size of computer monitors having fourteen inch screens, 17 inch screens, and the ever more popular 20 inch screens there is less and less surface space about the perimeter edges of the monitor screens.
Thus, there is a need to increase their usable space to accommodate these items. A display board which attaches to a monitor housing would provide extra space and functions as a messaging/personalization area for the user.
Over the years, various ideas have been proposed to solve these problems. U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,565 to Bachman discloses an adjustable display apparatus which consists of several pieces, between five and seven that must be separately mounted to the top and sides of the display monitor. Although, the device is entitled a xe2x80x9cuniversally adjustable display apparatusxe2x80x9d, the device have several problems and deficiencies. The Bachman device is not aesthetically pleasing because the display surfaces 14, 16 shown in side view of FIG. 2 are in two different planes, and could either show a gaping hole in the front view of FIG. 1, or an over-lapping surface. Additionally, the user will always be able to see the several mounting channels that must be used to hold the display panels. The design also places the usable surface away from the user. Also, the variable pieces and attachments for the monitor housing would be costly to manufacture and difficult to assemble by a novice user. The stability of the unit is also compromised by the single dimension mounting surface, and being a substantially flat surface requires all accessories to be somehow attached to the display board. Furthermore, the four channel members 18, 20, 22, 24 would need to be rigid for attaching the L-shaped members 14 and 16. Thus, the rigidity of the channels would preclude the Bachman device from conforming to display monitors having curved side and front edges.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,087 to Wentzloff discloses a fixed display board holder with inserted display panels. This design is also difficult to assemble, costly to construct and provides a flat surface back away from the plane of the display screen. In addition, it is not adjustable to fit various sized monitor housings. Instead, the Wentzloff device would require different size display boards for each different size monitor housing.
Screenies is a another type of display panel, a flat, non-adjustable panel which attach to the front of monitor housing, and has been marketed for a number of years now. U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,096 to Schwartz describes a flat multilayered device that attaches to the front of a monitor housing. This device is inexpensive to produce, but since it surrounds the monitor it obscures many of the monitor controls which are usually located at the bottom of a monitor. It is also unitized construction of a flat device that must be manufactured in different sizes to fit different size monitors; and it is not adjustable. Having a flat panel attached to the front of a monitor will also not mount firmly to a curved monitor screen which encompass large monitors commonly in use today.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,267 to Armbruster describes flat panel mounted to the front of a monitor. Although this device may be cost effective to produce, the Armbruster device is not adjustable and must be manufactured in different sizes to fit different sized monitor housing. It also suffers from the same problem of attachment to curved screen monitors, since it is only a flat panel and will not fit a curved monitor face.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,145 to Charapich (1994) describes another large flat panel display board which would be expensive to construct and difficult to attach by a novice user. Although it adds stabilizers to help secure the display panel to the monitor housing, it is not adjustable to fit various size screens. The device has a single sized opening for the monitor screen. For curved screen monitors there would be large gaps between the panel and the monitor housing at the sides and corners producing an unattractive look.
Thus, there is a need for solutions to the above problems that exist with the prior art types of display boards.
The primary objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board for which one size fits a wide range of monitor housing sizes such as but not limited to fourteen inch monitors, seventeen inch monitors, twenty inch monitors, and the like.
The secondary objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board that can be securely mounted to monitor having different contours such as but not limited to flat and curved monitors.
The third objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board that provides side and top surface panels in the same plane near the plane of the monitor display.
The fourth objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board that has side and top surface panels which overlap over the top and side edges of a computer monitor without covering the monitor screen.
The fifth objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board that has two side panels that can mount in the vertical and top forward corners of the monitor housing, while providing a single top adjustable receptacle panel with built-in indicia holders on both the front and back of the top panel.
The sixth objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board for monitors that has holding areas within the display board to mount indicia without the need of clips or other additional mounting fasteners.
The seventh objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board for monitors that can be inexpensively manufactured with variations in color and translucency.
The eighth objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board for monitors having an erasable surface on the display board on which a dry marker can be used and erased and reused.
The ninth objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board for monitors that is durable, easily producible with an aesthetic appeal to the user.
The tenth objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board for monitors that includes an attachable a single panel which functions as both a pen holder and a note pad holder, where the panel can be formed from a single manufacturing process adding function while reducing product manufacturing costs.
The eleventh objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board for monitors that can be manufactured in 2-D and 3-D shapes and be texture molded into the unit while maintaining low unit costs.
The twelfth objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board for monitors that can be inexpensively, and permanently marked with advertisement or other personalization features from manufacturers and/or sellers.
The thirteenth objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board that can be constructed to have the same look and feel as the monitor housing to which it will be mounted, which allows both the monitor and the display board to be matched and aesthetically appealing.
The fourteenth objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board for monitors that is safe, easy to install, easy to assemble, and take apart without damage to the monitor.
The fifteenth objective of the invention is to provide an adjustable display board for monitors that is lightweight and long-lasting, and able to support a variety of indicia mounted thereon.
A preferred embodiment of the adjustable display board for monitors includes a left side panel having an upper horizontal leg and a lower-vertical leg arranged in an L-shape to one another, the left side panel having a single front planar surface, a right side panel having an upper horizontal leg and a lower vertical leg arranged in an L-shape to one another, the right side panel having a single front planar surface, and a top holder panel having a left end and a right end, the left end for allowing a portion of the upper horizontal leg of the left side panel to slidably fasten to the left end, the right end for allowing a portion of upper horizontal leg of the right side panel to slidably fasten to the right end, wherein the left side panel, the right side panel and the top holder panel fit over and in front of a left side edge, a right side edge and a top edge of a monitor, and the single front planar surface of the left side panel and the single front planar surface of the right side panel are identical.
The left side panel, the right side panel and the top holder panel can be formed from a flexible plastic material that can flex and conform to monitors having curved surface faces.
Both the left side panel and the right side panel each have a rear face with a member protruding perpendicular behind, and the single front planar surface of the left side panel and the right side panel each have a t-cross-sectional shape to their respective rear facing perpendicular members, so that a portion of the rear protruding member of both the left side panel and the right side panel can abut against outer side edges of the monitor, while front edges of the left side panel and the right side panel which face one another overlap front face edge portions of the monitor.
The top holder panel can include at least one track for holding both the upper horizontal leg of the right side panel and the upper horizontal leg of the left side panel to the top holder panel. The top holder panel can further include supports on the front surface and/or the rear surface such as channel edges for supporting card shaped items such as but not limited to calendars, photographs, name plates and business cards thereon.
An extra item holder can be attached to the front of the adjustable display board for supporting various items such as a writing implement, a pad and a key. The extra item holder can have a slanted front face with a bottom lip edge for supporting a pad, and/or a round opening for supporting the writing implement and/or a hook for supporting key(s). A mirror can also be attached to the adjustable display board when desired.
The display board can be molded in a polypropylene or other non-porous plastic. The surface of the board can function as a dry marker board erasable surface, and be colored or tinted to provide a variety of aesthetic looks and appeal. The display board can be used to attach various indicia thereon wherein the indicia can be temporary or permanent. The display board can be hot stamped, decaled, stickered or silk screened to provide decoration, logos, advertising or other form of art or messaging.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment which is illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings.